Systems and methods for graphical control of symbol-based features in a television receiver

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods provide for graphically controlling numeric, alphanumeric or other symbol-based features on a set top box (STB) or other television receiver. A keypad image is presented on the display that includes key images corresponding to the symbol-based features. A two-dimensional input is received from the remote control that indicates one of the key images, and imagery on the display is updated in response to the received two-dimensional input.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention generally relates to user interfaces in televisionreceiver devices, and more particularly relates to systems and methodsfor providing graphical adjustment and control of numeric, alphanumericand/or other symbol-based features provided by a television receiverdevice.

BACKGROUND

Most television viewers now receive their television signals through acontent aggregator such as a cable or satellite television provider. Forsubscribers to a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) service, for example,television programming is received via a broadcast that is sent via asatellite to an antenna that is generally located on the exterior of ahome or other structure. Other customers receive television programmingthrough conventional television broadcasts, or through cable, wirelessor other media. Programming is typically received at a receiver such asa “set top box” (STB) or other receiver that demodulates the receivedsignals and converts the demodulated content into a format that can bepresented to the viewer on a television or other display. In addition toreceiving and demodulating television programming, many televisionreceivers are able to provide additional features. Examples of featuresavailable in many modern television receivers include electronic programguides (EPGs), digital or other personal video recorders,“place-shifting” features for streaming received content over a networkor other medium, providing customer service information and/or the like.

Generally speaking, viewers interact with the STB or other receiverusing some sort of user interface that receives inputs from a remotecontrol or other input device. To change a channel, for example, theviewer typically depresses a “channel up/down” button, manually enters anumber of a desired channel on a numeric keypad, and/or selects the newchannel using a program guide feature of the receiver. Alternatively,viewers can often seek out programs using an EPG feature provided by thereceiver. The EPG generally provides comprehensive lists of programs andassociated information, and allows viewers to readily tune to programscurrently being shown. Many EPGs also allow viewers to set a recordingfor a future event, or to take other actions as appropriate.

While conventional interfaces are useful for many purposes, thereremains a continual desire for more efficient and intuitive userinterfaces to the various features provided by the receiver. Inparticular, there is a desire to provide convenient access to numericfeatures (e.g., channel numbers) without using a numeric keypad. It istherefore desirable to create systems and methods for improving theviewer interface to the television receiver. These and other desirablefeatures and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequentdetailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings and this background section.

BRIEF SUMMARY

According to various exemplary embodiments, systems and methods areprovided for graphically providing numeric inputs or other controls aset-top box (STB) or other video receiver.

In various embodiments, a method is provided for graphically controllingsymbol-based features in a television receiver configured to presentimagery on a display in response to viewer instructions transmitted froma remote control. A keypad image is presented on the display thatincludes key images corresponding to the symbol-based features. Atwo-dimensional input is received from the remote control that indicatesone of the key images, and imagery on the display is updated in responseto the received two-dimensional input.

In further embodiments, a method is provided for selecting a channel ina television receiver configured to present imagery on a display inresponse to viewer instructions transmitted from a remote control. Themethod comprises presenting a keypad image on the display, wherein thekeypad image comprises a plurality of key images each corresponding to anumeral, receiving a first two-dimensional input from the remote controlthat indicates at least one of the key images, and presenting anindicator of a television channel having a channel number that at leastpartially corresponds to the indicated key images in response to thefirst two-dimensional input, wherein the indicator comprises a rememberfeature. In response to a second two-dimensional input corresponding tothe indicator, the receiver may be tuned to the indicated televisionchannel. Further, in response to the second two-dimensional inputcorresponding to the remember feature, the television channel indicatedby the indicator can be associated with a quick reference featurevisible on the imagery presented on the display.

Still other embodiments provide a video receiver for presenting imageryon a display in response to viewer input signals provided from a remotecontrol. The receiver comprises a receiver interface configured toreceive an incoming modulated signal, a decoder configured to decode theincoming modulated signal to extract a video signal, a wireless receiverconfigured to receive the viewer input signals from the remote control,wherein the viewer input is a two-dimensional input, and a processor.The processor is configured to receive the viewer input signals from thewireless receiver and to generate the imagery presented on the display,wherein the imagery comprises a keypad image comprising a plurality ofkey images each corresponding to a symbol, and wherein the processor isfurther configured to present an indicator of a television channelhaving a channel number that at least partially corresponds to theindicated key images in response to the viewer input signals. Inresponse to further two-dimensional input corresponding to theindicator, the processor is further configured to direct the decoder todecode at least a portion of the incoming modulated signal correspondingto the indicated television channel for presentation on the display.

Various other embodiments, aspects and other features are described inmore detail below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

Exemplary embodiments will hereinafter be described in conjunction withthe following drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote likeelements, and

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary television receiver system;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an exemplary television receiver device;

FIG. 3 is a diagram of an exemplary screen display for receiving andprocessing numeric inputs from the viewer; and

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an exemplary process for manipulatingnumeric values in a television receiver or other device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description of the invention is merely exemplaryin nature and is not intended to limit the invention or the applicationand uses of the invention. Furthermore, there is no intention to bebound by any theory presented in the preceding background or thefollowing detailed description.

Generally speaking, the viewer is able to provide numeric, alpha-numericor other symbol based inputs to a television receiver usingtwo-dimensional or other user interface features. A keypad representingthe various symbols is graphically presented on the display, and theviewer is able to interact with the keypad imagery using a cursor orother interface feature that can be moved in response to two-dimensionalinputs applied at a touchpad, motion sensor or other sensor deviceassociated with the remote control. In embodiments wherein the remotecontrol includes a touchpad or similar control device but does notinclude a numeric keypad, for example, a viewer may nevertheless be ableto provide numeric (or alphanumeric) inputs to the receiver by directinga cursor presented as part of the on-screen imagery. The cursor may beable to select numbers, letters and/or other features in order to tunechannels or perform other tasks as desired. Other conveniences such asquick reference features may be provided as well.

Although the various techniques and systems described herein may be usedwith any sort of remote control or command equipment, variousembodiments may be particularly well suited for use with a remotecontrol that includes a touchpad, directional pad, joystick, trackball,set of directional buttons, motion sensor and/or other feature capableof providing two-dimensional inputs to the receiver. While thediscussion herein focuses primarily on entering channel numbers,equivalent concepts could be readily applied to other numeric oralphanumeric features provided by the television receiver. Onscreenkeypads may be fashioned to show any number of letters, numbers and/orother symbols (including foreign language symbols), thereby allowing thevarious principles and concepts presented herein to be applied in a widevariety of settings, applications and embodiments.

Turning now to the drawing figures and with initial reference to FIG. 1,an exemplary system 100 for presenting television signals to a viewersuitably includes a receiver 108 that receives signals 105 in any formatand generates appropriate outputs 107 to generate imagery 110 on display102. Typically, receiver 108 interacts with signals 125 received from awireless remote control 112 to present television imagery 110 on display102 as desired by the viewer.

In the exemplary view shown in FIG. 1, imagery no includes a numeric,alphanumeric or other keypad 122 that allows for symbol-based data entryusing cursor 114. Imagery no also includes a symbol display window 124,a channel indicator window 126, and a quick reference area 128 asdesired. The various features presented in imagery 110 may vary widelyfrom embodiment to embodiment. The relative spacing, proportions andlocations of the various windows and other features described herein,for example, are entirely exemplary, and may vary widely in otherembodiments. Other embodiments may similarly add or omit certainfeatures, or use the various features for purposes other than thosedescribed herein.

Television imagery is presented on display 102 as desired by the viewer.Further, two-dimensional navigation features may be presented to allowthe viewer to enter symbol-type or other data through control of acursor 114 or other interface feature via remote control 112. In variousembodiments, cursor 114 is able to move in response to two-dimensionalinput signals 125, which are, in turn, generated in response to inputsapplied to two-dimensional input device 124. By moving cursor 114 tointeract with the two-dimensional navigation features presented ondisplay 102, numeric, alphanumeric and/or other data may be entered,recalled and/or otherwise manipulated as desired.

Receiver 108 is any component, device or logic capable of receiving anddecoding video signals 105. In various embodiments, receiver 108 is aset-top box (STB) or the like capable of receiving satellite, cable,broadcast and/or other signals encoding audio/visual content. Receiver108 may further demodulate or otherwise decode the received signals 105to extract programming that can be locally viewed on display 102 asdesired. Receiver 108 may also include a content database stored on ahard disk drive, memory, or other storage medium to support a digital orother personal video recorder (DVR/PVR) feature in some embodiments.Receiver 108 may also provide place shifting, electronic program guide,multi-stream viewing and/or other features as appropriate.

In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, receiver 108 is shownreceiving digital broadcast satellite (DBS) signals 105 from a satellite106 at an antenna 104. Equivalent embodiments, however, could receiveprogramming 105 from one or more programming sources, including any sortof satellite, cable or broadcast source, as well as any Internet orother network source or the like. In embodiments that include DVRfunctionality, programming may be stored in any sort of database asdesired (e.g., in response to user/viewer programming instructions) forsubsequent viewing. Content may also be received from digital versatiledisks (DVDs) or other removable media in some embodiments.

Display 102 is any device capable of presenting imagery 110 to a viewer.In various embodiments, display 102 is a conventional television set,such as any sort of television operating in accordance with any digitalor analog protocols, standards or other formats. Display 102 may be aconventional NTSC or PAL television receiver, for example. In otherembodiments, display 102 is a monitor or other device that may notinclude built-in receiver functionality, but that is neverthelesscapable of presenting imagery in response to signal 107 received fromreceiver 108. In various embodiments, receiver 108 and display 102 maybe physically combined or interconnected in any manner. A receiver card,for example, could be inserted into a slot or other interface in aconventional television, or the functionality of receiver 108 may beprovided within a conventional television display 102. In otherembodiments, signals 107 are transferred between receiver 108 anddisplay 102 using any sort of cable or other interface (including awireless interface). Examples of common interfaces include, withoutlimitation, component video, S-video, High-Definition MultimediaInterface (HDMI), Digital Visual Interface (DVI), IEEE 1394, and/or anyother formats as desired.

Remote control 112 is any sort of control device capable providingsignals 125 to receiver 108 that represent inputs received from one ormore viewers. Typically, remote control 112 is an infrared, radiofrequency (RF) or other wireless remote that includes any number ofbuttons or other features for receiving viewer inputs. In an exemplaryembodiment, remote control 112 communicates with receiver 108 using theIEEE 802.15.4 (“ZIGBEE”) protocol for wireless personal area networks(WPANs), although other embodiments may instead communicate using IEEE802.15.1 (“BLUETOOTH”), IEEE 802.11 (“WI-FI”), conventional infrared,and/or any other wireless techniques. In some embodiments, remotecontrol 112 may be able to support multiple types of wirelesscommunication, such as ZIGBEE communications and also infraredcommunications. This feature may be useful when remote control 112 is aso-called universal remote that is able to provide input signals 125 tomultiple devices.

Remote control 112 generally includes any sort of buttons, sliders,rocker switches and/or other features for receiving physical inputs fromthe viewer. As the user depresses or otherwise interacts with thefeatures, remote control 112 suitably produces wireless signals 125 inresponse. In further embodiments, remote control 112 includes atwo-dimensional input device 124 that is able to receive inputs from theuser in any multi-dimensional format (e.g, “X,Y”, “r,Θ”, and/or thelike). Examples of two-dimensional input devices 124 that could be usedin various embodiments include, without limitation, touchpads,directional pads, joysticks, trackballs, sets of arrows or otherbuttons, and/or the like. In a typical implementation, two-dimensionalinput device 124 provides coordinates or other signals 125 that indicateabsolute (e.g, “X,Y”) and/or relative (e.g., “ΔX,ΔY”) movement in two ormore dimensions. Such signals 125 may be decoded at controller 108 orelsewhere to coordinate the viewer's actions with respect to inputdevice 124 to movement of cursor 114 or other features presented ondisplay 102.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, remote control 112 isillustrated with a touchpad-type device 124 that accepts viewer inputsapplied with a finger, stylus or other object. FIG. 1 also showstouchpad device 124 as having dedicated scroll regions 123 and 128 forvertical and horizontal scrolling, respectively. Viewer movements withinregion 123 that are more-or-less parallel to the right edge of device124, for example, could result in vertical scrolling, whereas movementswithin region 128 that are more-or-less parallel to the bottom edge ofdevice 124 could result in horizontal scrolling. Dedicated scrollingregions 123, 128 are optional features, however, that may not be presentin all embodiments. Further, scrolling could be implemented in any othermanner.

In operation, then, receiver 108 suitably receives television signals105 from a satellite, cable, broadcast or other source. In a satellitebased embodiment, for example, one or more channels can be extractedfrom a conventional satellite feed; the video content on the selectedchannel can be demodulated, extracted and otherwise processed asappropriate to display the desired content to the viewer. One or morecable or broadcast channels may be similarly obtained in any manner. Insome embodiments, receiver 108 may obtain multiple channel signals fromdifferent sources (e.g., one channel from a cable or satellite sourceand another channel from a terrestrial broadcast, DVD or other source).

Receiver 108 suitably obtains the desired content from the channel(s)indicated by the viewer, and presents the content on display 102. Invarious embodiments, viewers are able to further view imagery (e.g., theimagery 110 shown in FIG. 1) that allows for numeric, alphanumeric orother symbol-based inputs to be generated using remote control 112, eventhough remote control 112 may not have keys or buttons corresponding tosome or all of the symbols entered. By moving cursor 114 with respect toimagery 110, for example, a “virtual keypad” can be created that allowssymbol-type inputs to be generated. A viewer may enter numerals, forexample, by directing cursor 114 toward the desired numeral in keypad122, and then depressing a select or enter key on the remote 112 toselect the indicated symbol. Entered symbols may be displayed orotherwise processed as desired. In the exemplary embodiment shown inFIG. 1, numeric inputs are used to select a television channel to bedecoded and presented on display 102. In this embodiment, channelnumbers generated with keypad 122 are presented in display window 124,and are also used to select tiles or other indicators in channelindicator window 126. These indicators can be selected (e.g., withcursor 114) to directly tune the indicated channel, or one or moreindicated channels may be saved in quick retrieval window 128 for latertuning. Other channel tuning implementations may provide widely varyinglayouts and features; still other embodiments may use symbol-basedinputs for completely different functions, such as searching forprograms in an EPG, DVR, network server or other program source, or anyother function as desired.

FIG. 2 provides additional detail about an exemplary receiver 108 thatincludes a receiver interface 208, a decoder 214 and a display processor218, as appropriate. FIG. 2 also shows a disk controller interface 206to a disk or other storage device 110, an interface 210 to a local orwide area network, a transport select module 212, a display interface228, an RF receiver module and control logic 205. Other embodiments mayincorporate additional or alternate processing modules from those shownin FIG. 2, may omit one or more modules shown in FIG. 2, and/or maydifferently organize the various modules in any other manner differentfrom the exemplary arrangement shown in FIG. 2.

Receiver 108 may be physically and logically implemented in any manner.FIG. 2 shows various logical and functional features that may be presentin an exemplary device; each module shown in the figure may beimplemented with any sort of hardware, software, firmware and/or thelike. Any of the various modules may be implemented with any sort ofgeneral or special purpose integrated circuitry, for example, such asany sort of microprocessor, microcontroller, digital signal processor,programmed array and/or the like. Any number of the modules shown inFIG. 2, for example, may be implemented as a “system on a chip” (SoC)using any suitable processing circuitry under control of any appropriatecontrol logic 205. In various embodiments, control logic 205 executeswithin an integrated SoC or other processor that implements receiverinterface 208, transport selector 212, decoder 214, display processor218, disk controller 206 and/or other features, as appropriate. TheBroadcom Corporation of Irvine, Calif., for example, produces severalmodels of processors (e.g., the model BCM 7400 family of processors)that are capable of supporting SoC implementations of satellite and/orcable receiver systems, although products from any number of othersuppliers could be equivalently used. In still other embodiments,various distinct chips, circuits or components may be inter-connectedand inter-relate with each other to implement the receiving and decodingfunctions represented in FIG. 2.

Various embodiments of receiver 108 therefore include any number ofappropriate modules for obtaining and processing media content asdesired for the particular embodiment. Each of these modules may beimplemented in any combination of hardware and/or software using logicexecuted within any number of semiconductor chips or other processinglogic.

Various embodiments of control logic 205 can include any circuitry,components, hardware, software and/or firmware logic capable ofcontrolling the various components of receiver 108. Various routines,methods and processes executed within receiver 108 are typically carriedout under control of control logic 205, as described more fully below.Generally speaking, control logic 205 receives user input signals 125(FIG. 1) via an RF receiver interface 232 that is able to communicatewith the remote control 112 using a suitable antenna 234. Control logicreceives user inputs from remote control 112 and/or any other source,and directs the other components of receiver 108 in response to thereceived inputs to present the desired imagery on display 102.

As noted above, receiver 108 suitably includes a receiver interface 208,which is any hardware, software, firmware and/or other logic capable ofreceiving media content via one or more content sources 105. In variousembodiments, content sources 105 may include cable television, directbroadcast satellite (DBS), broadcast and/or other programming sources asappropriate. Receiver interface 208 appropriately selects a desiredinput source and provides the received content to an appropriatedestination for further processing. In various embodiments, receivedprogramming may be provided in real-time (or near real-time) to atransport stream select module 212 or other component for immediatedecoding and presentation to the user. Alternatively, receiver interface208 may provide content received from any source to a disk or otherstorage medium in embodiments that provide DVR functionality. In suchembodiments, receiver 108 may also include a disk controller module 206that interacts with an internal or external hard disk, memory and/orother device that stores content in a database 110, as described above.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, receiver 108 also includes anappropriate network interface 210, which operates using anyimplementation of protocols or other features to support communicationby receiver 108 on any sort of local area, wide area, telephone and/orother network. In various embodiments, network interface 210 supportsconventional LAN, WAN or other protocols (e.g., the TCP/IP or UDP/IPsuite of protocols widely used on the Internet) to allow receiver 108 tocommunicate on the Internet or any other network as desired. Networkinterface 210 typically interfaces with the network using any sort ofLAN adapter hardware, such as a conventional network interface card(NIC) or the like provided within receiver 108. Other embodiments mayprovide interfaces 210 to conventional telephone lines or othercommunications channels, or may omit network connectivity altogether.

Transport stream select module 212 is any hardware and/or software logiccapable of selecting a desired media stream from the available sources.In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, stream select module 212 is able togenerate video signals for presentation on one or more output interfaces228. Typically, transport select module 212 responds to viewer inputs(e.g., via control logic 205) to simply switch encoded content receivedfrom a broadcast, satellite, cable or other source 105 or from storageno to one or more decoder modules 214.

Receiver 108 may include any number of decoder modules 214 for decoding,decompressing and/or otherwise processing received/stored content asdesired. Generally speaking, decoder module 214 decompresses, decodesand/or otherwise processes received content from stream select module212 to extract an MPEG or other media stream encoded within the stream.The decoded content can then be processed by one or more displayprocessor modules 218 to create a presentation on display 102 (FIG. 1)for the viewer in any appropriate format. FIG. 2 shows a single decodermodule 214 operating on one television signal received from transportselect module 212. In practice, any number of decoder modules 214 may beused, particularly in “picture in picture” (PIP) situations whenmultiple signals are simultaneously decoded and displayed. The term“decoder”, then, may collectively apply to one or more decoder modulesthat are able to decode one or more signals for presentation on display104.

Display processor module 218 includes any appropriate hardware, softwareand/or other logic to create desired screen displays via displayinterface 228 as desired. Such displays may include combining signalsreceived from one or more decoder modules 214 to facilitate viewing ofone or more channels. In various embodiments, display processing module218 is also able to produce on screen displays (OSDs) for electronicprogram guide, setup and control, input/output facilitation and/or otherfeatures that may vary from embodiment to embodiment. Such displays arenot typically contained within the received or stored broadcast stream,but are nevertheless useful to users in interacting with receiver 108 orthe like. The generated displays, including received/stored content andany other displays may then be presented to one or more outputinterfaces 228 in any desired format. The various interface featuresdescribed herein, for example, may be generated by display processormodule 218 operating alone or in conjunction with control logic 205.

Display processor 218 may also generate imagery 110 in response toviewer inputs received (and/or in response to instructions from commandlogic 205) to thereby make up a user interface that allows the viewerselect channels or programs, or to perform other tasks as desired. Whenthe viewer provides inputs at keypad 122, indicator window 126 and/orquick reference area 128, for example, display processor 218 may beoperable to draw (or redraw) imagery 110 in response, and/or to presenttelevision content identified by the viewer, as appropriate. As receiver108 receives user inputs 125 from remote control 112, control logic 205may direct display processor 218 to adjust any feature(s) of imagery 110as directed by the viewer. Display processor 218 therefore directs thepresentation of imagery 110 in conjunction with one or more navigationfeatures, and adjusts the imagery 110 in response to inputs receivedfrom the viewer.

Display processor 218 produces an output signal encoded in any standardformat (e.g., ITU656 format for standard definition television signalsor any format for high definition television signals) that can bereadily converted to standard and/or high definition television signalsat interface 228. In other embodiments, the functionality of displayprocessor 218 and interface 228 may be combined in any manner.

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary display 300 that would allow a viewer toprovide numeric or other symbol-based inputs using a remote control 112with two-dimensional input capability. Other embodiments may incorporateimagery 110 of different sizes and configurations, and/or may allow foradditional or other features in any manner. Practical views of imagery110 presented on display 102 may vary widely from that shown in FIG. 3without departing from the concepts discussed herein.

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary presentation of imagery 110 that includes akeypad 122, a symbol display window 124, a channel indicator window 126,and a quick reference area 128 as appropriate. In the embodiment shown,a viewer is able to move cursor 114 with respect to the variousinterface features to enter symbolic information using keypad 122, tochoose an identifier 308A-B to select a channel, program or otherobject, and/or to select a “quick reference” feature 301A-E for rapidretrieval of favorite or frequently-used identifiers. The variousfeatures shown in FIG. 3 may be implemented using any sort of symbology,programming and/or the like; in an exemplary embodiment, imagery 110 isgenerated by display processing module 218 (FIG. 2) in response toinstructions from the viewer that are relayed by control logic 205.

Keypad 122 is any sort of interface feature capable of support viewerinputs of symbol-based data. In various embodiments, keypad 122 isvirtual representation of a numeric, alphanumeric, alphabetical or otherkeyboard, although other embodiments may support different types ofsymbols, including foreign language symbols, shapes or other universalaccess symbols, and/or the like.

Keypad 122 includes any number of key images that each correspond to oneor more symbols. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 3, keypad 122includes twelve key images corresponding to ten numeric digits (0-9),with two additional key images 303, 305 provided for additional featuresas desired. Key 305, for example, could be selected to switch to analphabetical keyboard of any sort. A conventional “QWERTY” orDvorak-type keyboard could be displayed, for example, or a keypad withfewer key images could be presented, with multiple symbols assigned toeach key image. Multiple letters could be assigned to a common keyimage, for example, and the viewer may be able to enter textual datausing multiple “clicks” or other interactions for each key image, in amanner similar to that used for text entry in many conventional mobilephones. Other embodiments may omit alphabetic or alphanumeric entryentirely, or may provide other schemes for receiving alphanumeric data.Key 303 similarly provides any other desired feature. In variousembodiments, key 303 may be used to provide a backspace, delete or otherfeature; other embodiments may use key 303 in a completely differentmanner, or may omit key 303 entirely.

The viewer provides symbol-based inputs in any manner. In variousembodiments, the viewer guides cursor 114 over one or more key imagesassociated with keypad 122 using the touchpad, motion sensor or othertwo-dimensional feature 124 associated with remote control 112. When thecursor 114 is positioned as desired, the viewer may be able to selectthe symbol associated with the key image by depressing a “select” or“enter” key, as appropriate. The “select” key may be a button or triggeron remote 112, for example, or may be any other interface feature asdesired.

In various embodiments, symbols are presented in display window 124 asthe viewer selects symbols in keypad 122. In the exemplary embodimentillustrated in FIG. 3, for example, the viewer has selected digits “1”and “9”, and these are shown in window 124. Some embodiments may providea text cursor 306 that indicates a position in window 124 where symboldata will be entered. Text cursor 306 is shown as a simple horizontalline in FIG. 3, although other embodiments may implement this feature asa static or blinking line, block, rectangle or any other image. Stillother embodiments may omit text cursor 306 altogether.

Information entered on keypad 122 and/or displayed in window 124 may beprocessed in any manner. In various embodiments, the information may beused to select a channel or program for decoding and presentation, forsearching a disk, network or the like for content, and/or for any otherpurpose. In various embodiments, data entered into window 124 can beprocessed in a predictive manner. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, forexample, numeric inputs from keypad 122 are used to select a channel tobe tuned and presented by receiver 104. As the viewer enters the firstfew digits of the channel number, imagery no may be updated asappropriate to present channels (or other objects) that correspond tothe initially-entered data. As the user enters an initial “1”, forexample, the content of identifier window 126 may be updated to showidentifiers 308A-D that begin with 1 (e.g., “1”, “10”, “100” or thelike). In an implementation that uses three-digit channel numbers(100-999), for example, an initial “1” could be result in window 126showing identifiers 308A-D including channel 100 (corresponding to thebeginning of the number range), channel 150 (corresponding to theapproximate middle of the channel range), or any other channel asdesired. As the viewer enters additional symbols from keypad 122, theadditional data may be used to further refine the identifiers 308A-Dpresented in window 126. After the viewer entered both numerals “1” and“₉”, for example, window 126 may be updated to show channel identifiers308A-D associated with channels in the 190-199 range (e.g., channels194-197, as shown in the example of FIG. 3). Predictive behaviors may bemodified in any manner, or omitted in some embodiments.

Identifier window 126 shows any number of identifiers 308A-D for objectsthat are referenced based upon symbol-based data entered by the viewer.As the viewer selects numeric or other symbolic data from keypad 122,for example, the identifiers 308A-D may be presented and/or updated asdesired. Each identifier 308A-D represents any sort of object sought bythe viewer; examples of such objects include programs, channels,networks, contents of programs, and/or the like. In the embodimentillustrated in FIG. 3, identifiers 308A-D represent particular channelsthat can be tuned by receiver 104 for presentation on display 102.

To that end, in various embodiments viewers may be able to immediatelyselect an action associated with any identifier 308A-D by simplyselecting that identifier. The viewer may select any identifier 308A-Din any manner. in various embodiments, selection may occur by placingcursor 114 over the identifier 308A-D on imagery 110, and then selectingthe identifier 308A-D as appropriate. In the exemplary embodiment shownin FIG. 3, selection of an identifier 308A-D may result in receiver 104tuning the channel associated with the selected identifier forpresentation on display 102. Other actions could include setting a PVRto record a selected program, selecting a program for placeshifting,and/or taking any other action as desired.

In further embodiments, each identifier 308A-D includes a rememberfeature 312 that allows the receiver 104 to remember the channel orother object identified by the identifier 308A-D for subsequentretrieval. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 3, remember feature312 is shown as a plus sign (“+”) on a portion of the identifier 308A-D,although other embodiments may use any sort of symbology or imagery forthe remember feature 312, and may present the feature 312 at anylocation on imagery 110.

Subsequent retrieval of remembered objects may be provided in anymanner. FIG. 3 shows a quick reference area 128 that includes space forany number of quick reference features 310A-E associated with rememberedchannel objects 308A-E. As a user clicks on a remember feature 312 onany channel identifier 308 in window 126, for example, a quick referencefeature 310A-E is associated with the relevant television channel andplaced in area 128. The viewer is then able to quickly tune to theremembered channel by simply clicking on the featured 310A-E associatedwith the channel in area 128. Again, the features are not limited toquick access to television channels; other remembered features mayinclude programs, networks, files and/or any other objects as desired.

Further, various embodiments may allow the viewer to create a “favoriteslist” from some or all of the objects 310A-E in quick reference area128. This list may be available, for example, from an electronic programguide view, or in response to a button or other feature activated onremote control 112. This favorites list may be created automatically ordefault in some embodiments; in other embodiments, the viewer mayactivate a button, tile or other feature 322 to create the favoriteslist. Further, the viewer may be able to create multiple favorites listsin some embodiments by selecting feature 322 with different sets ofobjects 310A-E in area 128. That is, the viewer could create a firstlist by placing a first set of objects 310 in area 128 and thenselecting feature 322; that viewer (or another viewer of the samereceiver 108) could create another favorites list by placing a differentset of objects 310 in area 128 and then selecting feature 322 again. Thelists could be named or otherwise identified as appropriate, and used inconjunction with any features (including the EPG) provided by receiver108.

FIG. 4 shows an exemplary process 400 for graphically processingsymbol-type inputs in a television receiver or the like. In variousembodiments, the steps shown in FIG. 4 may be executed using source orobject code in any format that may be stored in mass storage, firmware,memory or any other digital storage medium within receiver 104. Suchcode may be executed by any module or combination of modules operatingwithin receiver 104. In an exemplary embodiment, some or all of thesteps shown in process 600 are executed by control logic 205 (FIG. 2)operating alone or in conjunction with a display processing module 218and/or the various other features shown in FIG. 2 and described above.While FIG. 4 specifically shows a technique for tuning channels on atelevision receiver, the concepts set forth in the figure andaccompanying text could be used to perform other tasks, such asrecording programs, selecting programs, searching and/or taking otheractions as appropriate. The various steps and actions set forth in FIG.4 may therefore be supplemented or otherwise modified in any manner.

With reference now to FIG. 4, an exemplary method 400 for processingnumeric or other symbol-type data suitably includes the broad steps ofdisplaying a keypad 122 (step 402), receiving inputs from atwo-dimensional input device 124 (step 404), and then identifying (steps406, 410, 414, 418) and processing (steps 408, 412, 416, 420) thereceived inputs as appropriate to execute the various tasks directed bythe viewer. The steps of method 400 may take place in any other temporalorder other than that shown in FIG. 4, and/or additional or alternatesteps may be provided in alternate embodiments. The actual steps shownin FIG. 4 may be combined or omitted in still other embodiments.

Keypad 122 may be displayed in any manner (step 402). In variousembodiments, keypad 122 is any sort of numeric, alphanumeric or otherkeypad that generated and displayed by display processor 218 (FIG. 2),although other embodiments may generate the keypad in any other manner.As noted above, keypad 122 suitably includes any number of key imageseach corresponding to one or more letters, numbers and/or other symbolsas desired.

Inputs may be received with respect to keypad 122 in any manner (step404). In various embodiments, receiver 104 receives two-dimensionalinputs from remote control 112 relating to a position of a cursor 114,as described above. The viewer is therefore able to position the cursor114 over one or more key images and then indicate a selection of the keyimage in any manner.

Symbol input can be identified and processed in any manner (steps 406,408). In various embodiments, symbol input is recognized from a selectedcursor image corresponding to one or more key images in keypad 122.These inputs can be processed in any manner; symbols entered may bedisplayed (e.g., in window 124 or the like), for example, and/or thesymbols may be used to update other portions of imagery 110. Enterednumerals, for example, could be used to update the channel indicators308A-D displayed in window 126, or other features could be provided asappropriate to the particular embodiment.

In various further embodiments, other user interface features may alsobe provided. In embodiments such as the one shown in FIG. 3, forexample, viewer selections of an indicator 308A-D can be identified(step 410) from two-dimensional inputs 125 received from remote 112, asdescribed above. These selections can be processed (step 412) to tune aparticular channel or program, or to take some other action as desired.

Some embodiments may provide remember features 312 associated withindicators 308A-D, as described above. In such embodiments, viewerselections of the remember features 312 can be identified (step 414) andprocessed as desired (step 416). In various embodiments, selection ofthe remember feature 312 can result in a tile or other indicator 310being placed in area 128 to allow the feature to be accessed at a latertime via a “quick click” on the indicator 310 as appropriate. Uponselection of a quick reference indicator 310 (step 418), any actionassociated with the referenced feature may be executed (step 420) asdesired. A channel may be quickly tuned, for example, or any otheraction may be taken as desired. As noted above, the objects 310 presentin area 128 may be further used to create a quick reference or favoriteslist that can be accessed from other views (e.g., EPG views) provided byreceiver 108, as desired.

Accordingly, new systems and techniques are presented for graphicallyprocessing numeric, alphanumeric and/or other symbol-type information.Although the systems and features are generally described herein asapplying to processing numeric features, equivalent embodiments couldapply the same concepts to alphabetical, alphanumeric and/or any othertypes of symbol-based information, including selection of programsreferenced in an EPG or stored on a DVR, selection of programs from anetwork host or other source, selection of programs for placeshifting,and/or any other features as desired.

As used herein, the word “exemplary” means “serving as an example,instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein asexemplary is not necessarily to be construed as preferred oradvantageous over other implementations.

While the foregoing detailed description will provide those skilled inthe art with a convenient road map for implementing various embodimentsof the invention, it should be appreciated that the particularembodiments described above are only examples, and are not intended tolimit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention in anyway. To the contrary, various changes may be made in the function andarrangement of elements described without departing from the scope ofthe invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for graphically controlling symbol-basedfeatures in a television receiver configured to present imagery on adisplay in response to viewer instructions transmitted from a remotecontrol, the method comprising: presenting a keypad image on thedisplay, wherein the keypad image comprises a plurality of key imageseach corresponding to one of the symbol-based features; receiving atwo-dimensional input from the remote control that indicates one of thekey images; and updating the imagery on the display in response to thereceived two-dimensional input.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein theplurality of key images corresponding to numeric values.
 3. The methodof claim 1 wherein the plurality of key images correspond toalphanumeric values.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the updatingcomprises presenting an indicator of a television channel having achannel number that at least partially corresponds to the indicated keyimage.
 5. The method of claim 4 further comprising receiving a secondtwo-dimensional input corresponding to the indicator.
 6. The method ofclaim 5 further comprising tuning the television channel indicated bythe indicator in response to the second two-dimensional input.
 7. Themethod of claim 5 further comprising associating the television channelindicated by the indicator with a quick reference feature visible on theimagery presented on the display.
 8. The method of claim 7 furthercomprising receiving a third two-dimensional input corresponding to thequick reference feature, and tuning the television channel indicated bythe quick reference feature in response to the third two-dimensionalinput.
 9. The method of claim 7 further comprising providing a list ofchannels for subsequent reference based upon the television channelsassociated with the quick reference feature.
 10. The method of claim 9wherein the list of channels is accessible from an electronic programguide feature provided by the receiver.
 11. The method of claim 1wherein the two-dimensional input corresponds to a position of a cursorimage presented on the display.
 12. The method of claim 1 wherein thetwo-dimensional input corresponds to a report from a two-dimensionalinput device.
 13. The method of claim 12 wherein the two-dimensionalinput device is one of the group consisting of: a touchpad, a trackball,a joystick, a directional pad and a motion sensor.
 14. A method forselecting a channel in a television receiver configured to presentimagery on a display in response to viewer instructions transmitted froma remote control, the method comprising: presenting a keypad image onthe display, wherein the keypad image comprises a plurality of keyimages each corresponding to a numeral; receiving a firsttwo-dimensional input from the remote control that indicates at leastone of the key images; presenting an indicator of a television channelhaving a channel number that at least partially corresponds to theindicated key images in response to the first two-dimensional input,wherein the indicator comprises a remember feature; in response to asecond two-dimensional input corresponding to the indicator, tuning thereceiver to the indicated television channel; and in response to thesecond two-dimensional input corresponding to the remember feature,associating the television channel indicated by the indicator with aquick reference feature visible on the imagery presented on the display.15. The method of claim 14 further comprising receiving a thirdtwo-dimensional input corresponding to the quick reference feature, andtuning the television channel indicated by the quick reference featurein response to the third two-dimensional input.
 16. A video receiver forpresenting imagery on a display in response to viewer input signalsprovided from a remote control, the receiver comprising: a receiverinterface configured to receive an incoming modulated signal; a decoderconfigured to decode the incoming modulated signal to extract a videosignal; a wireless receiver configured to receive the viewer inputsignals from the remote control, wherein the viewer input is atwo-dimensional input; and a processor configured to receive the viewerinput signals from the wireless receiver and to generate the imagerypresented on the display, wherein the imagery comprises a keypad imagecomprising a plurality of key images each corresponding to a symbol, andwherein the processor is further configured to present an indicator of atelevision channel having a channel number that at least partiallycorresponds to the indicated key images in response to the viewer inputsignals, and, in response to further two-dimensional input correspondingto the indicator, to direct the decoder to decode at least a portion ofthe incoming modulated signal corresponding to the indicated televisionchannel for presentation on the display.
 17. The video receiver of claim16 wherein the receiver interface comprises a satellite interface. 18.The video receiver of claim 16 wherein the receiver interface comprisesa cable interface.
 19. The video receiver of claim 16 wherein thewireless receiver is configured to receive the two-dimensional inputsignals from a wireless remote control comprising a two-dimensionalinput device.
 20. The video receiver of claim 16 wherein thetwo-dimensional input device is one of the group consisting of: atouchpad, a trackball, a joystick, a directional pad, and a motionsensor.